Potato-paring machine



J. M. STRUZAS AND J. KULLUK. POTATO PARING MACHINE.

APPLlcATloN FILED SEPT. 13. 1957.

Patented May 27, 1919.

UNrrED STATES PATENT onirica.

JOHNM. STRUZAS AND JOHN KULLUKQOF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

PQTATO-PARING MACHINE.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that-we, JOHN M. S'rRUzAs and JOHN KULLUK, citizens of Russia and the United States, respectively, both residing at' Rockford, in the county Aof Winnebago and State of --Illinois, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Potato- Paring Machines, of which thefollowing is a Speciiication.

This invention relates tothe paring or removal of the skins of potatoes and other vegetables, andthe primary object of our invention is to provide an improved machine, by means of which a quantity of potatoes or other vegetables may be quickly and easily pared by a mechanical agenc thus obviating the tedious and often waste l task of arin'g such vegetables 'by hand.

nother object of our invention is to pro- Vide a paring machine of the character described, which shall be especiallyl adapted to be used in hotels., restaurants and other places where potatoesand similar vegetables fao l tion 4 of which serves as a are used in large quantities. v `We have also aimedto provide a'iparing machine of such improved construction that it may be produced at a comparatively low cost and which will perform the paring operation in a very satisfactory vand eicient manner? Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a vertical sectionalview through a paring machineembodying our improvements; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine; partly in section.

In this invention we have contemplated,

enerally stated, the provision' of a container 1n which is disposed a revoluble cylindrical. hopper having an o positely revoluble bottom, the interior wa l of the ho per .and its bottolnhaving an abrasive sur ace, so that 'when the hopper and its bottom are. simultaneously revolved in opposite directions by means of a simple operating mechanism, water is supplied or sprayed onto potatoes in the hopfper, the potatoes, will be tumbled and rubbe a ainst the abrasive surfaces of the hopper'and its bottom and thereby pared. The container designated enerally b .reference character 3, may be o any suita leconstruction, and as shown, is of cylindrical form,.co vered with a sectional top, one porermanent clo-y sure, and the other section as a movable closure', allowing acens to the interior of the Specicationof Letters Patent'.

and

Patented May 27,1919.

.' `Application filed September 13, 1917. Serial No. 191,134.

container for the insertion and removal of potatoes or lother vegetables. Within the container is revolubly mounted a cylindrical' hopper designated generally by character 6. This hopper revolves about an upright axis and is preferably mounted upon and sustained directly by the circular walls of the container 3, a substantial distance above the bottom of the latter so that the mounting will Ibe disposed above the water and parings, which drain into the bottom of the container. An annular track 7 is, therefore,'se cured to the interior wall of the container above its bottom, as shown, and the. hopper is equipped with a plurality of rollers 8 riding on the track, 'the rollers and track constituting the agency through which the hopper is revlubly mounted on the container. AnV inwardly 'and downwardly taperin splash plate or guard 9- may be secured to t e lower portion of the hoppelgas shown, for'keeping the trackway in a'clean condition by deiect- 'ing the fallmgwater and refuse or parings inwardly-away" from the track. The hopper is guided and steadiedv at its upper end against lateral displacement by means of a plurality'of rollers 11, mounted on the container'and engaging an annular peripheral track 12 formed integral with a channel casing 13 secured to the top of the hopper and nular rack face 14. Means, presentl mentioned, is adapted to revolve the h through theagency of a gear meshing with the rack 121.. An upri mounted on the container centrally therein, is equip ed with a platform 16, disposed within t e hopperyas shown, and constitut- \ing the bottom thereof. The interiorwall of the hopper and the to of the platform 16 is provided witha suita le roughened or abrasive surface 17 adapted by its contact with thel potatoes or other vegetables to .pare-the same.` Such surface may be formed of sheet metal perforated very finely in suchvmanner that roughened edges ofthe perforations project inwardly and' constitute the abrasive surface.. This construction, however, isnot essential since any suitable or preferred abrasive surface might be employed for the purpose. Means are provided for simultaneously revolving the opper 6 and the bottom 16 thereof 1n op osite directions comprising a horizontal rive shaft 18 suitably mounted on the tppon the contanerrihthls instance, m benrmgs 19 and' 21, se'rtid to ght shaft 15 revolubly v opper the container, and gearing between this drive shaft 18 and the shaft 15 and rack 14. i This gearing consists of bevel gears 22 between the shafts 15 and 18 and the gears 23 and 24 between the shaft 18 and rack 14, the gear 24 being a small intermediate gear mounted on the top 4: of the container and serving to reverse the direction of the drive of the shaft 18 so that the hopper 6 will be revolved oppositely to the direction of rotation of the hopper bottom 16. In the present construction, the upper end of the shaft 15 is journaled in a bearing integral with the bearing bracket 19, although this construction might be changed or modified if desired. While the present machine is equipped with a hand crank 25 attached t0 a ly Wheel secured to the outer end of the shaft 18, power operated means might be equally well applied to the shaft 18 for driving the same. means is provided for spraying or otherwise supplying and distributing water over the top of the potatoes or other vegetables for cleaning the same. This means may be in the form of a spray nozzle 26 having-a sup'- ply hose 27 passing through the top 4 of the container. The water draining through the bottom of the container may be removed therefrom through thev outlet 28, which is provided with a suitable valve. In this instance, the top of the container is provided with a, hinged cover, mentioned above, which affords an entrance to the hopper.

In the operation of our improved potato paring machine, the otatoes or other vegetables are placed in t e hopper through the opening in the top thereof. The paring operation takes place when the drive shaft 18 is revolved either 'by hand or ower, as may be desired, thus causing the opper 6 and Suitable bottom 16 thereof to be simultaneously revolved in opposite directionsand causing the potatoes to be moved about and agitated in the hopper, and in the course of their movement to be rubbed against the abrasive surby hand or power, thus being adapted for all conditions of usa-ge. While we have shown and described a single working embodiment l(of our improvements, it should be understood that various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts mightbe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asl expressed in the appended jclaim.

Ve claim:

A machine of the character described comprising a cylindrical container having an annular track about its interior wall, a cylindrical open-end hopper mounted on and suplported by said track so asy to revolve Wit in the container, a central upright shaft revolubly mounted in the container at the top and bottom thereof and equipped with a platform constituting the bottom ofthe hopper, and common means for actuating the shaft and the container in opposite directions.

JOHN M. STRUZAS. JOHN KULLUK. 

